DUE to limited supply of Covid-19 detection kits for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the Davao City Government will be narrowing its mandatory swabbing by prioritizing high risk individuals at the city's swabbing sites.
Davao City Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser announced in a radio interview on Monday, September 13, 2021, that the City Government will be prioritizing individuals tagged as first-generation contacts (F1) or those who are in close contact with a confirmed Covid-19 positive individual and those manifesting influenza-like illness (ILI) such as fever and cough.
Schlosser said only those high risk individuals will be prioritized in the city’s major swabbing sites at Sta. Ana Health Center and near Crocodile Park.
The health official said they decided to limit the testing to F1 and those with ILI since these are the people who will most likely test positive.
She said free swabbing for individuals tagged under the SafeDavao QR (DQR) Code, those who are subjected under community swabbing, and those who wish to get a medical certificate are currently suspended due to Southern Philippines Medical Center’s (SPMC) Molecular Laboratory operations being temporarily suspended.
Its temporary suspension is to give way for the repair of the automated extraction machine, which is being used to process the swabbed specimens.
Currently, the city still has the Los Amigos Molecular Laboratory and the Davao International Airport Molecular Laboratory for the Covid-19 tests.
Schlosser admitted these are “unforeseen events” that the city is currently addressing.
“Limited atong supply as of the moment, although ginapangitaan na og paraan sa city of Davao pati sa Covid[-19] Task Force. Gipangitaan na og paraan para madagdagan atong (We only have limited supply as of the moment, although the City Government of Davao and the Covid-19 Task Force are looking ways to increase our) supply for detection kits for RT-PCR,” Schlosser said.
The official added those who had been previously swabbed can expect delays in their test results but that they won’t need to worry because their specimen will still be prioritized.
She said the adjustments on the city’s swabbing activity took effect immediately until further notice.
Meanwhile, Schlosser said those who will need to undergo a Covid-19 test are advised to go to private laboratories.
The mandatory swabbing is in accordance with Executive Order 20-A, wherein all close contacts are required to undergo RT-PCR testing. The 19th City Council also passed an ordinance on August 17, penalizing index and close contacts who refuse to be tested for the Covid-19 virus.
Despite the limited number of testing, the spokesperson said all of the major swab sites, except for Magsaysay Park Swabbing Center, remain operational. The city temporarily suspended the Magsaysay Park swabbing site after one of its personnel tested positive for the virus.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a separate interview that the city government will not be issuing an EO suspending EO 20, and instead, will make an “internal arrangement and agreement” to the health group.
“Dili na ta magpagawas og executive order. Duna lang ta (We will not be issuing an executive order. We only have) internal arrangement and agreement with the health group with regards to... maghatag og leeway because dili sala sa mga tao nga nadaot ang machine diha sa SPMC (we will be giving leeway because it is not the public’s fault if the machines in SPMC experienced technical issues),” Duterte-Carpio said.
The limitation of the city’s swabbing activities comes amid the current surge of Covid-19 cases in the city.